Tounsane is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived on the outskirts of a village. The surname Tounsane literally refers to a dweller "at the town's end." The name belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Tounsane Early Origins

The surname Tounsane was first found in Norfolk, at Snoring Magna (Great Snoring) where one of the first records of the name was found there in 1377. "In 1398, John Townshend settled at Rainham, which according to some accounts accrued to them by the heiress of Havile. " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print. Another source confirms this noble family's status. "In 1398, the ancestor of the Marquis Townshend was at Rainham, the present seat of the family." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. Actually the first record of the name was listed before the two aforementioned worthy sources. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Geoffrey de le Tuneshende in Norfolk; Henry atte Tunesende in Oxfordshire; and Alice atte Tunishende in Buckinghamshire. Years later, the YorkshirePoll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Ricardus atte ye Thounhende; and Johannes atte Tonehende. [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) Raynham Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. Completed shortly after the death of Sir Roger Townsend's death in 1637, it has been the seat of the Townshend family for nearly 400 years. The Hall is reported to be haunted, and was the scene of the famous ghost photo of the Brown Lady descending the staircase.

Tounsane Spelling Variations

Tounsane Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Tounsane has been recorded under many different variations, including Townsend, Townshend and others.

Tounsane Early History

Tounsane Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tounsane research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1390, 1430, 1493, 1486, 1568, 1603, 1603, 1596, 1637, 1630, 1687, 1682, 1608, 1668, 1630, 1618, 1692, 1674, 1738, 1619 and are included under the topic Early Tounsane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tounsane Early Notables (pre 1700)

Tounsane Early Notables (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Roger Townshend (ca. 1430-1493), who was knighted by Henry VII in 1486; Sir John Townshend (c.1568-1603), of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, an English soldier and Member of Parliament, killed in a duel with Sir Matthew Browne in August 1603; Sir Roger Townshend...

Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tounsane Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tounsane In Ireland

Tounsane In Ireland

Some of the Tounsane family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Tounsane or a variant listed above: James Townsend, who settled, with his wife and five children, in St. John Island in 1775; Francis Townsend settled in Virginia in 1635; William Townsend settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1630.

The Tounsane Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Tounsane Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.